Head of rib

The head of the rib lies next to a vertebra.

The ribs connect to the vertebrae with two costovertebral joints, one on the head and one on the neck.

The head of the rib has a superior and an inferior articulating region, separated by a crest.

These articulate with the superior and inferior costal facets on the connecting vertebrae.

The crest gives attachment to the intra-articulate ligament that joins the rib to the vertebra of the same number, at the intervertebral disc.

Another ligament, the radiate ligament joins the head of the rib to both the body of the upper vertebra and to the body of the lower vertebra.

The smaller middle part of the ligament connects to the intervertebral disc.

This plane joint is known as the articulation of the head of the rib.

The other costovertebral joint is that between the tubercle on the neck and the transverse process of the joining thoracic vertebra of the same rib number, and this is known as the costotransverse joint.

The superior costotransverse ligament attaches from the non-articular facet of the tubercle to the transverse process of the vertebra.